The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society by Jonathan Kozol, is an article which illustrates the reality for millions of Americans, and the impact illiteracy has on the overall population and that individual and their family. Kozol draws emotional and personal stories which impact the reader as well as allude that the lack of literacy is in direct correlation with Democracy and how illiterate people will vote, if they even do at all.

Through telling several different personal stories, such as a mother being unable to understand a label and buying an excessive amount of Crisco mistaking it for the chicken which was on the label, Kozol is able to connect the reader to the text and the personal experiences used, creating and anxiety identifiable to all readers as they know themselves that they would be troubled and unable to help their family and their children to the full extent they deserve.

This article not only draws sympathy from the reader by also questions one of the American principles: Democracy. Kozol states that; “so long as 60 million people are denied significant participation, the government is neither of, nor for, nor by, the people.” Adapted from the infamous Gettysburg Address, given by President Lincoln, to reinforce democracy during the civil war, Kozol suggests that when “60 million people are denied significant participation” than American is no longer a fair and equal Democracy. Questioning one of the principles America stands for.

By illuminating two issues and drawing thoughts and emotions from the reader, Kozol has now inspired his audience to question the principles of America further, and question what other problems are there, what can Americans do to help people who are illiterate or semi-literate. How can America revert to fair and equal democracy, instead of drift towards becoming an Oligarchy, ruled and dictated solely by the wealthy and powerful? Kozol’s article inspires...

YOU MAY ALSO FIND THESE DOCUMENTS HELPFUL

...Chun Ming Poon
ENGL 116
J.THOMAS
The Education Problems in America
The United States is supposed to be one of the world’s most affluent and technologically-advanced societies. Unfortunately, education is not as effective as it should be. There are many problems with public education. I think redistributing funding, collecting the comments on education system from the public, could really make an impact on our education system.
What is wrong with the education system?...

...Essay 2
The HumanCost of an IlliterateSociety
Illiteracy in America can have negative and devastating effects on society as a whole. The effects that illiteracy has range from embarrassment to low self-esteem as well as high crime rates. Illiteracy seems to have an even more devastating effect in the lower income communities. Based on that, Johnathan Kozol wrote “The HumanCost of an...

...
Précis: In "The HumanCost of an IlliterateSociety", Jonathan Kozol, a Harvard graduate, argues that illiteracy cause the loss of choice or freedom and leads to many problems. Kozol highlights his argument with examples of when illiteracy can be binding such as "Many illiterates cannot read the admonition on a pack of cigarettes. Neither the Surgeon General's warning nor its reproduction on the package can alert them...

...The HumanCost of an IlliterateSociety
By Jonathan Kozol
Main Idea: The negative affects illiterate people have on themselves, their family and society.
Supporting Details:
Illiterate people often do not understand the bills they receive and are not able to write the checks to pay them. They often are in the situation of signing documents that they do not understand (230)....

...In Jonathan Kozol’s essay “The HumanCost of an IlliterateSociety” Kozol relies on tugging on the reader’s heartstrings rather than presenting the statistics that would prove his point without a shadow of a doubt. In the end readers are left thinking “why should I care so much about the illiterate?” That being said, Kozol strikingly relates to the reader the many things that an illiterate person cannot do on...

...
Knowledge is an effective factor in which humansociety relies on. Throughout history, those who were knowledgeable were well-respected, honored and revered. Author Jonathan Kozol writes his essay, “The HumanCost of an IlliterateSociety,” to project the importance of knowledge and to explain that without it, one can suffer disastrous repercussions. He highlights real-life examples of how people suffer...

...
English 1301
October 31, 2011
The HumanCost of an IlliterateSociety
In Jonathon Kozol’s eye opening essay, he discusses in depth the negative effects that illiteracy has on everyone in the American society. Unfortunately illiteracy is a common problem today and is usually more prone in lower income families and is passed down through the generations. When your parents can not read or write, you grow up without...